Blog Post
Travelogue: Dr. Heather McCowen Tours Columbia College Chicago, March 2022
On a cold March morning in 2022, I decided I needed to be neighborly and visit Columbia College Chicago. I have been living amongst the many creative college students at Columbia as we are both located in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago. I’ve heard their late-night Manifest Festival Concerts, seen their artwork in storefronts…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of May 2, 2022
Top tips for AP success – The folks at Compass Education Group have put together a handy one-stop resource with information about AP exams and prep, as well as an examination of the role APs play in college admission. 3 things to do now for strong HS recommendation letters – Students have experienced…
Read MoreTravelogue: Dr. Heather McCowen tours Pacific Lutheran University, April 2022
Tour of Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) on Saturday, April 9, 2022.- Heather McCowen Today, I visited Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. Tacoma is located south of Seattle and is the “Tac” part of the Sea-Tac Airport. Tacoma was initially supposed to be the big city in Washington as it landed the western terminus…
Read MoreInsider Tips on the Successful College Tour, with CIT Consultant Lessa Scherrer
Hello Lessa! You’re our inside expert on all things related to the college tour. Let’s begin by talking about how COVID has changed the college tour. During the height of the pandemic, colleges closed for guided, in-person tours. Many are now open but with modified tours that often don’t go into campus buildings. Many families…
Read MoreFAFSA 101 with CIT’s Cozy Wittman: The Weekly Wealth Podcast April 6
FAFSFA 101 with Cozy Wittman on The Weekly Wealth Podcast: Listen Now! In this April 6 broadcast, CIT’s Cozy Wittman speaks with David Chudyk on FAFSA-related topics. College planning, college selection, college funding, and even the decision TO go to college can impact the financial lives of students and parents for decades. In this episode, Cozy…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of April 4, 2022
Finding meaningful summer activities – Summer is a golden opportunity for students to contribute to the story of who they are, what they value, and how they are engaging their passions, interests & dedication in meaningful ways. CIT Consultant Paige Feldman proposes thinking about what values a student wants to bring forward with the…
Read More5 things every family should know about their expected family contribution (EFC)
You fill out the FAFSA, which gives you your expected family contribution (EFC), which is how much your family will pay for college. Seems simple right? Ah, but like most things with the college process, that is unfortunately not the case. Here are 5 things every family should know about that EFC. 1 Your EFC…
Read MoreVIDEO: HS Juniors! Three Things To Do NOW To Ensure Strong Teacher Rec Letters
Juniors have experienced online learning and cancelled or shortened extracurricular activities as a function of the pandemic. Many report that they tell they hardly know the teachers who have taught them this year, and worry that their core teachers don’t know enough about them to write great letters of recommendation. Don’t despair! CIT Consultant Robin…
Read MoreFinding Meaningful Summer Activities by CIT Consultant Paige Feldman
While we just finished winter, spring is in the air, but our minds turn toward summer. Over the next few months, CIT consultants will be discussing summer plans with our clients to demystify and provide some encouragement to students & families looking to make summer count. In terms of college planning, summer is a golden…
Read MoreInsider tips for the week of February 28, 2022
Types of loans available – Fred Amrein provides a good summary of the various loans that may be offered to families as part of a college’s financial aid package. Key learning: The Direct Federal Loan is the only one entirely owed by the student and is limited to a total of $31,000 over all…
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